Human Rights Now!
Human Rights Now! was a worldwide tour of twenty benefit concerts on behalf of Amnesty International that took place over six weeks in 1988. Held not to raise funds but to increase awareness of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on its 40th anniversary and the work of Amnesty International, the shows featured Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, and Youssou N'Dour, plus guest artists from each of the countries where concerts were held. Human rights activists and former prisoners of conscience from around the world, led by Sonny Venkatrathnam from South Africa, participated in the tour. At each location, the artists and Amnesty leaders held a press conference to discuss human rights, and concert-goers were provided with copies of the Universal Declaration in their language and opportunities to sign the Declaration themselves and join the worldwide human rights movement. The tour was made possible in part by a grant from the Reebok Foundation. The twenty concerts were the second stage of what subsequently became known collectively as the Human Rights Concerts - a series of music events and tours staged by the US Section of Amnesty International between 1986-1998. The tour was originally conceived by the Executive Director of Amnesty International's U.S. section, Jack Healey after a suggestion from former Executive Director David Hawk, with some limited input from producer Martin Lewis, who had first recruited rock musicians to perform for Amnesty years before for the Secret Policeman's Ball series of benefits. Healey developed the concept with famed rock promoter Bill Graham, who had worked with Healey on Amnesty's shorter, United States-only tour in 1986, titled A Conspiracy of Hope, and who acted as tour director. Healey served as executive producer, leading the team of three producers: Mary Daly, Jessica Neuwirth, and James Radner, father of George Radner. The media strategies for the tour, based on concepts originated by Healey and Lewis, were developed by Healey and Daly and executed by tour media director Magdeleno Rose-Avela and Charles Fulwood, Communications Director for Amnesty International USA. The Concerts September 2, 1988 Wembley Stadium, London, ENG September 4-5, 1988 Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, FRA (with Michel Jonasz) September 6, 1988 Népstadion, Budapest, HUN (with Hobo Blues Band & János Bródy) September 8, 1988 Stadio Comunale, Turin, ITY (with Claudio Baglioni) September 10, 1988 Camp Nou, Barcelona, SPA (with El Último de la Fila) September 13, 1988 Estadio Nacional, San José, Costa Rica (with Guadalupe Urbina) September 15, 1988 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON (with k.d. lang) September 17, 1988 Olympic Stadium, Montreal, QC (with k.d. lang, Michel Rivard & Daniel Lavoie) September 19, 1988 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA (with Joan Baez) September 21, 1988 Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA (with Joan Baez, Bono and The Edge) September 23, 1988 Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA (with Joan Baez & Roy Orbison) September 27, 1988 Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, JPN (with KODO) September 30, 1988 Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, IND (with L. Shankar & Zakir Hussain) October 3, 1988 Olympic Stadium, Athens, GRE (with George Dalaras) October 7, 1988 National Sports Stadium, Harare, ZIM (with Oliver Mtukudzi, Ilanga & Cde Chinx) October 9, 1988 Stade Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, IVC (with Ismaël Isaac & Johnny Clegg) October 12, 1988 Parque Antártica, São Paulo, BRA (with Milton Nascimento with Pat Metheny) October 14, 1988 Estadio Mundialista Mendoza, Mendoza, ARG (with Los Prisioneros, Markama & Inti-Illimani) October 15, 1988 River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, ARG (with León Gieco & Charly García)